FC KOWLOON CAUGHT UP WITH HK-BORN AUSSIE-BASED FILM PHOTOGRAPHER BERNICE AU. SHE SHARES SOME OF HER FAVOURITE FRAMES PLUS HOW HER ENVIRONMENT, CHILDHOOD AND BELONGING HELPED CONSTRUCT HER CREATIVITY, AND HOW IT FOCUSED HER AMBITION OF SHOOTING PROFESSIONALLY AT THE FIFA WORLD CUP.
FC Kowloon 啱啱同喺香港出世、現居澳洲嘅菲林攝影師 Bernice Au 傾咗陣計。喺今次專訪入面，佢同我哋分享咗佢嘅故事起點：探討環境、童年同歸屬感點樣構建出佢嘅創意，以及呢啲元素點樣一步步凝聚成佢嘅終極目標——有朝一日以專業攝影師嘅身分，親手捕捉國際足協世界盃（FIFA World Cup）嘅精彩瞬間。
Hey Bernice, thanks for taking the time to chat to us. We’ll kick off straight away! You were born in Hong Kong and raised in Australia. How do you feel this specific duality of environment , either geographically or culturally, helped shape your visual instincts? 你喺香港出世、澳洲長大。你覺得香港嗰種密集、急速嘅城市節奏，同澳洲嘅廣角大自然、陽光普照嘅環境反差點樣塑造咗你嘅藝術觸角？
I grew up in Australia so my identity and influences have been shaped by my life here. Australia is where I learnt and developed my creativity. While Hong Kong is where I practiced my craft. When I go to Hong Kong for holidays, this is where I put my ideas into action. I’m more adventurous taking the camera out, testing techniques, while exploring the city, as the environment is new to me. I feel more connected to Hong Kong, through my photography adventures.
我喺澳洲長大，所以我嘅身份同接觸嘅事物主要由呢邊嘅生活塑造出嚟。澳洲係我創意啟蒙嘅地方；而香港就係實踐手藝嘅地方。每次返香港，就係將我腦入面嘅想法實踐嘅時候。我會比平時更勇敢去拎住相機出去一邊試唔同嘅技術，一邊探索城市。始終香港嘅環境對我嚟講係比較新鮮。每次嘅攝影冒險，都令我同香港嘅連結再加深。
You say your obsession with film began with your dad’s camera collection. Beyond the physical gear, was there a philosophy or mindset towards capturing a moment that he passed down to you? 你話你對菲林嘅迷戀，係由你爸爸嘅相機收藏開始。除咗啲器材本身，佢有冇傳受你關於「點樣捉住一刻」嘅心得？
My dad’s camera collection came from my grandfather, who was a photojournalist in Hong Kong in the 1960s – 1980s. When my dad wheeled out a storage container full of cameras, it sparked my curiosity! It was very much the physical object itself. I was drawn to how every camera was different. A button, switch and dial for every operational thing. He taught me how to use them. Everything was kept in great condition and cared for. I’m so grateful my dad gave me a playground of cameras to learn from.
其實我都唔肯定我爸爸係咪好似我咁迷相機。爸爸之所以會有一堆相機收藏，係因為我公公喺1960年代到1980年代喺香港做攝影記者。當我爸爸推咗個裝滿相機嘅儲物箱出嚟嗰陣，就勾起我嘅好奇心！嗰陣真係主要被相機實物吸引到，我好鍾意每部相機機身都唔同，操作上每樣嘢都有自己嘅按鈕、開關同轉盤。爸爸亦都有教我點樣用。所有器材都保存得好好，仲好有心機咁保養。我好感恩，細細個開始就有個「相機遊樂場」俾我玩。
Film requires a discipline of scarcity; you have 24 or 36 frames, whereas modern sports photography relies on high-speed digital bursts where a photographer might shoot thousands of frames a game. Why choose the slow, deliberate medium of film to capture a sport defined by frantic, unpredictable speed? 菲林拍攝追求嗰種影一張一格嘅概念，24格或者36格；相比而家嘅運動攝影好多時靠高速數碼連拍，一場波可能影幾千張。足球又快又亂、充滿不可預測，點解反而揀菲林呢種咁慢嘅媒介去捕捉？
I just feel more at home with a film camera and I like the look of film. I find shooting on film is more engaging, it’s like I have to really work for it. I have to be conscious of how many frames I have. I’m limited by my film ISO, I don’t get an instant preview to check shots and adjust etc. These factors make it more challenging, so it’s more rewarding for me. I’m curious how the idea in my head will turn out, and if I’ve captured the shot. Then, I have to wait for the images to get developed/scanned, to find out.
我覺得用菲林相機拍攝更自在，而且我好鍾意菲林片嗰種質感。我覺得用菲林影相更投入，每一張相都係種心血結晶。我要好清楚自己仲有幾多格可以用，又會受菲林ISO限制，冇得即刻睇相、冇得再調整。呢啲因素令拍攝更有挑戰性，所以對我嚟講更有滿足感。我會好好奇腦入面嘅構想最後會變成點、有冇捉到嗰一刻。之後仲要等沖晒完返嚟先知。
For example, in this image, I started with a very clean generic shot of a player. The subs with their bright pink bibs started their warm up drills and walked across my lens, back and forth, coming in and out of my shot. Instead of moving my position to get a clearer shot, the idea came to me, if I can get a bit of motion blur of the subs entering or leaving my shot, it could make a very interesting picture. It is almost like I see the visuals in my head first, then I have to execute it.
例如喺呢張相入面，一開始係影一個好典型嘅球員畫面。之後個後備球員著住鮮粉紅色嘅背心開始熱身，佢哋喺我鏡頭前面來回行，成日入鏡又出鏡。與其我移位去影得更清楚，我突然諗到，如果我可以捕捉到佢哋入鏡或者離開畫面時嗰種少少動態模糊感，可能會令張相更有趣。就好似我喺腦入面已經有畫面，再去影返出嚟。
“Sure, I can do the same on digital and I would instantly know I got the shot, but where is the magic and fun in that? With film, it is a bit of a gamble, a bit of luck, a bit of skill. Then the anticipation of getting your film back. It is this whole process that I love. I find it so much more rewarding when I nail the shot.”
I was so stoked with my results when I got my scans back. It was exactly how I imagined it. I wanted a bit of depth and motion blur in the image, to add to the player I was focusing on, and I got that.
當然，數碼相機都做到同樣效果，仲會即刻知自己影到未；但咁樣樂趣何在呢？菲林本身係有少少賭博成份，需要運氣同技巧。再加上等待菲林沖曬嘅期待。我就係鍾意哩個流程，當我做到而嗰種滿足感，真係大好多。
當攞到成品睇時，我真係興奮到爆，效果完全同我想像一樣。本來就想張相帶少少景深同動態模糊，去襯托我對焦緊嗰個球員，最終真係俾我做到。
What does film reveal about the beautiful game, that modern digital sensor technology can miss? 有啲咩係場球賽到菲林會拍攝到，而數碼科技可能會錯過？
For me, I want to capture the game like how I first saw it on TV. My earliest memory, it was 1998, my mum turned on the TV and was so excited. She said in Cantonese “It’s the World Cup!” I got my excitement for football from her.
對我嚟講，我想影到嘅足球畫面，要好似我第一次喺電視上見到足球咁。最早嘅記憶係1998年，我媽媽開咗電視，佢好興奮，仲用廣東話講：「係世界盃呀！」我對足球嘅興奮，係媽媽傳畀我。
She told me Brazil was legendary for their football skills. Then the next World Cup came around, I was a bit older and started to watch a lot more matches, thanks to my mum. Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Roberto Carlos, Rivaldo, little did I know that I was witnessing something special – the 2002 Brazil team.
“I love that my mum introduced me to football, I believe she got that from her dad, he, like many Hong Kongers followed English Football.“
So when I’m shooting football, I want my work to be associated with nostalgia and my memories of first experiencing The World Cup. I can only get that from film.
媽媽同我講巴西嘅球技好傳奇。到下一屆世界盃，我大個咗少少，多得我媽媽，我開始睇多咗波。朗拿度、朗拿甸奴、羅拔圖·卡路士、利華度。嗰陣我仲唔知自己其實見證緊一啲好特別嘅嘢：2002年嗰隊巴西。我好感恩係我媽咪帶我入足球嘅世界。我相信佢嘅熱情亦係承傳自佢爹哋（我阿爺）——因為我阿爺就同好多老一輩嘅香港人一樣，一向都好鍾意睇英格蘭足球。所以喺我拍攝嘅時候，我希望自己嘅作品帶住一種懷舊感，就好似我第一次感受世界盃嘅回憶。而呢種感覺只有菲林先俾到我。
Nostalgia seems to be quite prominent in football right now. How do you think this era of World Cups (2022 / 2026) should be remembered in 20 years time? 懷舊浪潮依家喺足球界好似好盛行。你覺得再過 20 年之後，當大家回望返呢個時代（2022 / 2026 年）嘅世界盃嗰陣，應該要用一種點樣嘅方式去記住佢？
Hopefully a good tournament despite the controversies and politics surrounding them. I’m hoping there would be a breakthrough for a country to go deep into the tournament, like Morocco’s run in 2022. I love an underdog story, I think that’s the thing about Aussies and sports, we always cheer for the underdog as well as our own. We just love anyone giving it a go.
撇除圍繞住賽事嘅種種爭議同政治因素，我真心希望呢個會是一屆精彩嘅世界盃。我好期待會有國家能夠突圍而出，好似 2022 年摩洛哥咁喺賽事入面創造奇蹟、行到好遠。我一向好鍾意「下克上」嘅黑馬故事，我覺得呢個亦係澳洲人對體育嘅一份情結——我哋除咗支持自己人，亦總會為弱勢嘅黑馬（underdog）打氣。我哋純粹就係好欣賞所有人全力以赴、放手一搏嗰種精神。
I have to mention that when we hosted The Women’s World Cup in 2023, the atmosphere was unreal. There was an excitement in the air, that we were hosting this big international tournament, and for football too, as it isn’t our most popular sport. There’s a great video floating online, other sporting codes where showing the penalty shootout between Australia and France, if felt like everyone paused to watch the shootout. It was really special to have a moment like that. I’m hoping our mens team will get to the knockout stage for this year!
我一定要提嘅係，2023 年我哋主辦女子世界盃嗰陣，現場氣氛簡直係瘋狂。空氣中瀰漫住一種令人亢奮嘅張力——畢竟我哋正喺度主辦緊咁大型嘅國際盛事，而且仲要係足球，要知道足球喺澳洲本身並唔算係最受歡迎嘅健身運動。當時網上流傳住一條好正嘅片，連其他體育項目嘅賽事中途，大螢幕都在直播緊澳洲對法國嘅互射十二碼，嗰一刻就好像成個國家嘅人都停晒落嚟，一齊屏息凝神睇住場波。能夠擁有咁樣一個全城凝聚嘅歷史瞬間，真係好特別。我好希望我哋嘅男足今年亦一樣可以殺入淘汰賽！
I also want Portugal to go far into the tournament. I watched their World Cup qualifier matches late last year when I was in Lisbon.
“That was the first time I took a film camera to a match, which started my journey into football photography. I want to see them win it! Força Portugal!”
我亦好希望葡萄牙喺今屆賽事可以行到好遠。舊年年底我喺里斯本嗰陣，啱啱好去睇咗佢哋嘅世界盃外圍賽。嗰次係我第一次帶埋菲林相機去球場睇波，亦正正係因為咁，開啟咗我嘅足球攝影之旅。我好想親眼見證佢哋捧盃！Força Portugal（葡萄牙加油）！
Your professional background spans TV production, audio operations, and technical direction. That is a world of intense cues and structural mechanics. How does your understanding of broadcasting influence the way you anticipate a single static image on the pitch? 你嘅工作橫跨電視製作、音響操作同技術指導。有冇因為你喺廣播界嘅經驗，影響你喺拍攝嘅角度？
Having a background in broadcast has influenced the way I see the game. When I’m looking through my view finder, I’m thinking what does the game look like on TV? What is a shot that would be worthy? I’m waiting for the right moment and constantly framing the subject. I have to be conscious with my shots, make decisions quickly but at the same time anticipate the action.
廣播界嘅經驗確實影響咗我對球賽嘅睇法。我會透過相機嘅觀景窗諗：呢一刻喺電視畫面會係點？邊一個鏡頭先算最有價值？一路等最適合嘅時機。影每張相都要好快，同一時間又要預判定下一步嘅軌跡。
There is an argument that football is somewhat theatrical; both in event scale and on-field theatrics. If you are treating it as a piece of creative direction, how are you doing it? What characters are you looking for? Are you following the play or searching for off-the-ball drama? 有人覺得足球其實有少少戲劇性，無論係成個賽事活動，定係球場上。如果你當佢係一個創作去處理，你會點做？想搵咩「角色」？你會順着球賽發展，定係特登去搵啲 off-the-ball 嘅戲劇位？
A bit of both, I definitely try to capture the atmosphere on and off the pitch. I follow the player’s reaction from a ref’s call and see what is happening from the crowd.
兩樣都有，我會盡量捕捉場內外嘅氣氛。例如裁判一吹判，我會跟住球員嘅反應，同時望下觀眾席發生緊咩事。
“There are a lot of audio cues that lead my camera to the fans – the roar, the chants, the intensity of the crowd, their emotions. I have a shot-list in my head where I build the story. “
有好多聲音提示會引導我將鏡頭轉去球迷嗰邊，嗰種歡呼聲、歌聲、情緒嘅張力。我腦入面已經有一完整嘅故事線。
Some of the frames you’ve shared from the Sydney FC v Auckland game are in B&W. They’re great, but they do capture a different dynamic. What do you like about shooting on BW film and how does it change your process or what you are looking for in a shot? 你分享嗰幾張悉尼 FC 對奧克蘭（Sydney FC v Auckland）嘅相都係黑白嘅。呢幾張相影得好靚，但確實捕捉到一種好唔同嘅動態感。你覺得用黑白菲林影相有咩吸引你？它又點樣改變你嘅拍攝過程，或者改變你喺鏡頭入面尋找嘅畫面？
I’m so glad you asked me that question!! I love shooting in black and white! Again, this comes back to nostalgia for me. I studied media arts production/film studies. I’m inspired by French New Wave directors Jean-Luc Godard and François Truffaut. The way they compose a scene, the cinematography and storytelling. In a way, I’m trying to replicate that look and ethos in my photography.
我好開心你問咗呢個問題！！我真係超級鍾意影黑白相！對我嚟講，呢點一樣可以歸結為對「懷舊感」嘅情結。我以前係讀媒體藝術製作同電影研究（Media Arts Production / Film Studies）嘅，一直深受法國新浪潮（French New Wave）導演尚盧·高達（Jean-Luc Godard）同法蘭索瓦·杜魯福（François Truffaut）嘅啟發。我好著迷於佢哋去構建一個場景嘅美學、鏡頭語言以至說故事嘅手法。某程度上，我正正係嘗試喺自己嘅攝影作品當中，去重塑嗰種視覺質感同創作精神。
When I shoot in black and white, I think about the composition more. It forces me to think about how I work with the moment that I’ve been given. For example, the image with the fans and the flag. I saw how the fans were on a slope, and with that in mind, I framed it with enough negative space and for the flags to fill it. I waited for the flags mid-flight and took my shot. I knew exactly what I wanted it to look like, and I got it! There’s a cinematic quality about it that I’m always striving for.
當我用黑白菲林拍攝嗰陣，我會花更多心思喺構圖上面。黑白會逼使我去思考，點樣去善用眼前被賜予嘅嗰個瞬間。拿嗰張影住球迷同旗幟嘅相嚟做例子，當時我留意到班球迷企喺一個斜坡上面，因應住呢個環境，我構圖嗰時特登留咗足夠嘅留白（negative space），好讓啲旗幟可以填補嗰個空間。之後我一直等待，直到啲旗幟喺半空中飄揚到最靚嘅一刻，我就按下快門。我好清楚自己想要呈現一幅點樣嘅畫面，而最後我亦成功捕捉到了！張相帶有一種電影感（cinematic quality），而呢種層次亦正正係我一直以來所追求嘅。
The FIFA World Cup is the pinnacle event in football, and as a photographer it is an ambition of yours. Not if, when, you make it to the touchline for a World Cup event, what is the definitive photo you want to take that encapsulates your entire journey from your dad’s camera collection to the World Cup? FIFA 世界盃係足球界嘅最高舞台；作為一位球賽攝影師，亦係你最大嘅目標。當你有一日真真正正企喺世界盃場邊去拍攝時，你最想影到一張咩嘅相黎濃縮你由細到大嘅攝影之旅？
Ohh good question! Richarlison’s bicycle kick against Serbia or Robin van Persie’s flyer header. Images like that just stick in my mind. When I get the chance to capture an iconic goal like that, I would be very happy! I would love for it to come from Australia and maybe even Hong Kong (one day!).
哦，好問題！例如Richarlison對Serbia嗰球倒掛金鈎，或者Robin van Persie嗰個飛身頭槌，呢啲畫面真係會定格喺我腦入面。當我有機會捕捉到一個咁標誌性嘅入球，我會好開心！希望可以因為球賽由澳洲飛嚟香港！我信會有呢一日！
Well, one iconic Australian goal that springs to mind is Tim Cahill’s volley against the Netherlands in 2014. How did you feel when that goal went in? 一講到澳洲隊最經典嘅入球，好多人腦海即刻會浮現 2014 年卡希爾（Tim Cahill）對荷蘭嗰球世紀窩利抽射。當日見到球波入網嗰一刻，你內心有咩感受？
One of my favourite goals!! I was at work at SBS, working on the Australian coverage of the World Cup. It was an overnight shift, I had the match on 2 screens, monitoring the incoming international feed and our studio records. I remember I was talking to a co-worker as the Netherlands just scored and we were trailing behind. Then literally moments later, we all jumped up in joy as Cahill just scored a stunning left foot volley to equalise the game. It was incredible, the whole lead up to it! We were just laughing and jumping with joy in disbelief! We didn’t win the match, but it doesn’t matter, when we have moments like this. Cahill always delivers when we need the him most. Like in the Australia v Japan match in 2006, another favourite moment, where we defeated Japan. Our goals came from the 84th minute.
呢球絕對係我其中一個最愛嘅入波！！當時我啱啱喺 SBS 電視台返緊通宵更，負責緊澳洲嗰邊嘅世界盃賽事直播製作。我面前放住兩個螢幕，一邊要睇住入緊嚟嘅國際訊號（feed），另一邊要睇住我哋錄影廠嘅紀錄。我記得啱啱前一刻荷蘭隊先入咗一球，我哋落後緊，我仲同緊同事呻。點知轉眼間，卡希爾就用左腳抽入咗一球超靚嘅窩利追平！成個控制室嘅人興奮到即刻跳起！嗰個高潮迭起嘅過程，真係太不可思議。我哋成班人又笑又跳，直頭唔敢相信自己眼見嘅畫面！雖然嗰場賽事最後我哋贏唔到，但其實已經唔緊要，因為有咁樣嘅瞬間就已經足夠。卡希爾每次喺我哋最需要佢嘅關鍵時刻，永遠都唔會令人失望。就好似 2006 年澳洲對日本嗰場，亦係我另一個最愛嘅經典時刻，當時我哋反勝日本，我哋啲入波全部都係到第 84 分鐘之後先接二連三咁嚟。
“I will never outgrow my curiosity of the camera”
If you could look back at the girl tracking through your father’s cameras, what part of her curiosity do you hope you never outgrow, even when shooting in front of a stadium of 80,000 people? 如果可以時光倒流返去喺相機堆入面玩緊嘅小妹妹，你會點樣提醒自己一路攝影嘅初心？
I will never outgrow my curiosity of the camera. I’m always learning something new, there are so many old film cameras to explore, the history attached to the cameras, I’m currently down the rabbit hole of vintage lenses, I love experimenting with film stocks and slide films. There is still so much to learn! I think it all comes down to having an idea or vision in my head, and having a camera to capture that vision.
“It was inevitable that I combine my passion for film photography and football together, something that my mum and dad gave me.“
就係對每部相機嘅好奇心。我一直都喺度學新嘢，有好多舊式菲林相機可以去探索，每部相機背後都有佢嘅歷史；而家我仲跌咗入復古鏡頭嘅黑洞。我好鍾意試唔同嘅菲林底同正片！我覺得最終極都係去返，我有一個想法或者畫面開始，然後就帶部相機出去影相。
We appreciate you sharing your story! We can’t wait to see more frames & stories from your travels.
If you want to see more from Bernice’s visual journey in film and football, you can follow her links below.
FC KOWLOON 